Telescopic mast



Dec. l5, 1953 l.. C. ROSE 2,662,712

TELESCOPIC MAST Filed Sept. 21. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l gm l l F/g. l i40k [Y l` 4 l la I i 4 l' 36 f6 50 52 #a :n 4 J 1 A i l 84 S u l n l ,1: 1A

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Fig 5 l2 46 24 46 52 l 5x4 5a 54 52 u l 84 l l il 1 \l l) lr f' 86 f @2Q56 5 60 56 60 62 Inventor Louis C. Rose' By zmaom L md5/away f5. M5615L. C. ROSE TELESCOPIC MAST Dec. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept.21, 1950 lill lll!- zlillllllllllllll Inventor Louis C. Rose By @w maf@06am WW M@ Patented Dec. l5, 1953 UNITED STATESY PATENT OFFiCETELESCOPIC MAST Louis C. Rose, Petaluma, Calif. Application September21, 1950, Serial No. 186,044

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-161) This invention comprises novel and usefulimprovements in a telescopic mast and more speciiically pertains to avertically telescopic hydraulically actuated mast specifically adaptedfor use as a television aerial and the like.

The primary objects 'of this invention are to provide a mast suitablefor television aerials and the like which shall be capable of verticaladjustment to varying heights; shall be capable of being securely lockedin extended or adjusted position; may be readily released from itslocked position when it is' desired to collapse or lower the mast; andwhich have an improved hydraulic actuating means for raising orlongitudinally extending the mast.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention, which will later become 'appar-ent as the followingdescription proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferredembodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only; in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View showing one embodiment oi atelescoping mast incorporating therein the principles of this inventionin its extended or raised position;

`Figure -2 is a vfragrnentary side elevational view of a portion 'of thetelescopic mast of Figure l, showing in elevation the locking meanstogether 'with a release mechanism for the same;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View, taken substantially upon theplane indicated .by the section Aline 3-3 of Figure2;

Figure e is a vertical sectional detail View taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section line 5 5 of Figure 4,;

Figure 6 `is a vertical sectional View taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section line 5-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of one 'of the telescopingsections of the mast.

Referring now more specifi-cally to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals 'designate 'similar parts 'throughout the various views,'it 'will be 'seen that a television aerial for the like and designatedgenerally by the 4numeral is is mounted upon the upper end 'of atelescoping 'mast whose construction forms the subject oi 'thisinvention.

.Although it will be vapparent ,from the `following description that thelessential -and basic prin- 'cipies "of this invention 'may beyncorporateri in masts which have any desired number of telescopingsections. the same has been illustrated in connection with a mastconsisting of three telcscoping sections as constituting a preferredconstruction and one which may be more readily and simply described inthe drawings and description as to its construction and principles ofoperation.

As illustrated in Figure 1, it will be apparent that the telescopingmast consists of an outer cylinder member I2 which constitutes the bottom or base member of the mast and which may be conveniently providedwith a foot plate id or the like, together with a second member id whichis telescopingly and slidingly disposed within the outer member I2, andan inner member iii which is slidably received in the second cylindermeinber i6. It is to the upper end of the member I8 that the televisionor other aerial Iii is secured in any desired manner., which forms initself no part of the present invention.

The outer cylinder member I2 is of course of greater diameter than theother cylindrical members and is provided with a cylindrical chamber inits interior which is open at it-s upper end to sl-idably receive thesecond cylindrical member i6. Adjacent its bottom end, the outer memberI2 is in communication with a source of fluid pressure such as hydraulicor water pressure from any desired source, by means of a conduit or pipe20, under the control of a manual valve indicated at 22. The secondcylindrical ineinber I6, as will be especially apparent from Figure 6,is provided with Ia closed lower end which consists of a cylindricalbody 24 constituting a piston slidably received in the cylindricalchamber 26 formed in the outer cylindrical member I2. A fluid tight.seal is established between the piston 24 slidable Within the outermember I 5i as by means -of an annular .groove 2B formed in thecircumference -or periphery `of the body 24 and in which groove isKseated a sealing ring si! of any desired construction. This body 24, asshown more clearly Figure 7, may be provided with 'a .plurality ofcircumierentially disposed annu lar grooves 32 and .34 which constitutelocking recesses as set for-th hereinafter, and in .its upper end thebody has a conical tapered portion surmounted by a cylindricaldiametrically reduced portion 38. An axially `disposed bore or passageV4I) extends throughout the body from .its upper to its lower end. Thecylindrical portion 38 joins the `conical portion toproyide .an annularshoulder 42 7upon which rests .the lower end oi the tubular, cylindricalisecond .member I5, -as shown more clearly in Figure 4. Obviously, thelower end of the member I6 will be secured flxedly in any desired manneras by welding, screw-threading or the like upon the cylindrical member38 and abutting and resting upon the shoulder 42 thereof. The abovementioned axial bore 4@ thus establishes communication between thechamber 26 formed in the outer cylinder I2 and the interior of thesecond cylindrical member I5.

Preferably the inner cylindrical member I8 has its lower end slidablyreceived within the cylindrical chamber formed within the tubular sleevelike second cylindrical member I6, the lower end of the member I8forming a piston which may have a sealing means such as that shown inFigure 6 to establish a iluid tight sealing engagement between themember I8 and the member I6. Howeventhe bottom wall of the member I 8 isimperforate, rather than being provided with a bore such as that at 40and described in connection with the lower end of the member As so fardescribed, it will be apparent that by admitting pressure fluid from theline 2li under the control of the valve 22 into the bottom of thecylinder or chamber 26 and the outer member I2, that the fluid will ilowupwardly through the bore 4I) and into the -chamber within the memberI6, until the member I8 is raised therein to its uppermost limit. Whenthe member I8 has been raised to its fullest extent, the continuedinflow of pressure fluid will then raise the second cylindrical memberI6 until the latter is also at its fullest extent, whereby the entiretelescoping mast will be extended to its greatest height. Obviously, byreleasing the pressure fluid, reverse operation will occur and the mastmembers or sections will telescope or collapse under their own weight,until the mast is in its collapsed or lowered position. Any suitablemeans may be provided to effect the desired collapsing operation as forexample by permitting a back flow through the conduit 20 past the valve22; or by any other pressure release means, as desired.

While as above described, the pressure of the pressure fluid itself may-be sufiicient to securely maintain the mast in its vertically adjustedand extended position, it is preferred to provide a positive lock tomore effectively insure the secure extension of the mast.

For this purpose, a locking device is provided for the lower end at eachof the two inner mast sections for positively locking the same to theirimmediately adjacent outer mast section when the corresponding sectionsare in their extended position. Since the construction of these lockingmeans is identical, the showing of Figures 2-5 is considered to beapplicable to both of the locking members illustrated in Figure 1 and adescription of this locking means is to be understood as being directedto the construction of both or all of the locking means provided.

Adiacent the upper end of the same, the outer cylindrical member I 2 isprovided with diametrically disposed slots 44, and oppositely anddiametrically disposed cylindrical sleeves 46 are welded or otherwisesecured to the exterior of the member I2 and over these slots 44. Thesesleeves are provided with outer closure plugs or heads 48 of any desiredcharacter, and which are apertured as at U to receive the stem portions52 of slides 54 which are slidably received within the cylindricalmembers 46. Compression springs 56 are disposed between the heads 48 andthe slides 54 to yieldingly urge the slides inwardly of the cylinders46, that is radially inwardly of the outer cylindrical member I2. Attheir inner ends, the slides 54 are provided with yoke members orlingers 58 which extend through the slots 44 and bear against theadjacent cylindrical outer surfaces of the member I6, the conicalportion 36, and the body or piston member 24, until the locking grooves32 or 34 register with the forks 58, lat which time the springs 56 urgethese forks into the locking recesses, thereby positively preventing anyvertical movement of the member I6 and its body portion 24 with respectto the outer cylindrical member I2. As will be readily understood, anydesired number of locking recesses 32, 34 may be provided in order topermit the telescoping mast to be positively locked in variousvertically adjusted positions.

As will now be readily understood, as the mast sections are raised, thelocking means will be automatically biased by the springs 56 to lockingengagement as soon a a locking recess is disposed in transversealignment with the opposite' 1y disposed locking forks 58 of the opposedslides 54.

'In order to withdraw the locking means from engagement with the lockingrecesses, and thereyby to permit vertical adjustment between the variouslocking recesses as well as to permit collapsing or lowering of themast, the lock releasing means is provided. This means, disclosed moreclearly in Figures 2 and 5, comprises a laterally projecting boss 60extending from the side of the outer cylindrical member I2 andperpendicular to the opposed cylinders 46, which boss has extendingtherefrom an externally threaded stud 62 having a lock nut 64 thereon.Pivoted on this stud, and intermediate its ends, is a lever B6 having acrank arm 68 rigidly attached thereto and provided with an aperture 'I0at its outer end. At its opposite ends, the lever 65 is pivotallyconnected as by pivot pins 'I3 and 14, at their outer ends with a pairof links 'I6 and l? respectively whose outer extremities are providedwith perpendicular end portions and 82 which are apertured to embracethe extending ends of the stem portions 52 of the slides 54, suitableWashers 84 and nuts 86 being provided for securing the ends 80 and 82 tothe stems 52.

It will now be apparent from Figure 2 that when oscillatory motion isimparted to the arm 58, the member 66 will be rocked about the stud 52,and to the links 'I6 and 'I8 will cause an out ward sliding movement ofthe slides 5.4 in the cylinders 46 thereby withdrawing the lockingfingers or yokes 58 from engagement with the locking recesses.

A pull cable or the like, as indicated at 88 in Figure 1, is secured tothe aperture T6 in the arm 63 to permit operation of the loci; releasingmeans.

Obviously, various and suitable sealing means may be provided betweenthe telescoping sections, as suggested by the sealing or packing gland9D, see Figure 4, disposed between the members I6 and I2.

As will be readily understood, it will be impossible for the fluid orhydraulic pressure to force any of the sections out of the section whichthe same is slidably received, since as soon as the piston end of theinner section passes the locking member slots 44, the fluid pressurewill vent through the same and thereby prevent further outward movementof the inner section.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of theforegoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired tolimit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, butall suitable modications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A telescoping mast comprising an outer member constituting a base forsaid mast, an inner member slidable in said outer member, means forapplying fluid pressure into said outer member and below said innermember to cause relative sliding movement, a guiding and locking memberhaving a reduced portion received in and secured to the inner member,said guiding and locking member having an outer diameter substantiallyequal to the inner diameter of said outer member, an annular groove insaid guiding and locking member, spring actuated latch means mounted onsaid outer member and passing through the wall thereof to engage in saidannular groove, said latch means being mounted on said outer member iniiuid tight relation.

2. A joint between telescoped tubular members comprising an outertubular member, an inner tubular member having an end received Withinsaid outer tubular member, a guiding and locking member having a reducedportion received in said end and secured thereto, said guiding andlocking member having an outer diameter equal to the inner diameter ofsaid outer tubular member, an annular groove in said guiding and lockingmember, diametrically opposed spring actuated latch elements mounted onsaid outer tubular member and passing through aligned openings in thewall thereof to engage in said annular groove, link means forsimultaneously releasing said latch elements, said link means includinga first link pivotally connected at its center to said outer tubularlmember, a second link pivotally connected to ends of said rst link andto said latch elements, said rst link being provided with a remotelycontrollable actuating arm.

3. A joint between telescoped tubular members comprising an outertubular member, an inner tubular member having an end received withinsaid outer tubular member, a guiding and locking member having a reducedportion received in said end and secured thereto, said guiding andlocking member having an outer diameter equal to the inner diameter ofsaid outer tubular member, an annular groove in said guiding and lockingmember, diametrically opposed spring actuated latch elements mounted onsaid outer tubular member and passing through aligned openings in thewall thereof to engage in said annular groove, link means forsimultaneously releasing said latch elements, said link means includinga rst link pivotally connected at its center to said outer tubularmember, a second link pivotally connected to ends of said first link andto said latch elements, said rst link being provided with a remotelycontrollable actuating arm, said latch elements having major portionsthereof guidingly mounted in closed sleeves carried by said outertubular member, said latch elements being in fluid-tight relationrelative to said outer tubular member, said second links being connectedto portions of said latch elements extending beyond said sleeves.

LOUIS C. ROSE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 942,780 Iversen Dec. 7, 1909 1,073,294 Siewert Sept. 16, 19131,344,037 Heymann June 27, 1920 1,526,563 Powers et al. Feb. 17, 19251,705,625 Mitchel Mar. 19, 1929 1,809,579 Bryant et al. June 9, 19312,168,962 Schoenlaub Aug. 8, 1939 2,526,415 Refsdal Oct. 17, 19502,542,967 Waechter Feb. 20, 1951

